2010 Edition

Background

Following its heyday as a global maritime power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independence of its wealthiest colony of Brazil in 1822. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986. In January 2011, Portugal assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2011-12 term.

Area

land

91,470 sq km

total

92,090 sq km

water

620 sq km note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Indiana

Climate

maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south

Coastline

1,793 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

1,056 cu m/yr (1998)

total

11.09 cu km/yr (10%/12%/78%)

Geographic coordinates

39 30 N, 8 00 W

Geography - note

Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Irrigated land

6,500 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

Spain 1,214 km

total

1,214 km

Land use

arable land

17.29%

other

74.87% (2005)

permanent crops

7.84%

Location

Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

Azores subject to severe earthquakes

volcanism

Portugal experiences limited volcanic activity in the Azores Islands; Fayal or Faial (elev. 1,043 m, 3,422 ft) last erupted in 1958; most volcanoes have not erupted in centuries; historically active volcanoes include Agua de Pau, Furnas, Pico, Picos Volcanic System, San Jorge, Sete Cidades, and Terceira

Natural resources

fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower

Terrain

mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Total renewable water resources

73.6 cu km (2005)

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.3% (male 912,147/female 834,941) 15-64 years: 66.1% (male 3,525,717/female 3,554,513) 65 years and over: 17.6% (male 772,413/female 1,108,193) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

10.12 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

10.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

4.4% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

34,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

4.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

5.17 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.86 years (2010 est.)

male

75.12 years

total population

78.38 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

91.3% (2003 est.)

male

95.5%

total population

93.3%

Median age

female

41.9 years (2010 est.)

male

37.6 years

total

39.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Portuguese

noun

Portuguese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

10,735,765 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

0.244% (2010 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

16 years (2007)

male

15 years

total

16 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.067 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.5 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

59% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa (Lisbon), Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

38 43 N, 9 08 W

name

Lisbon

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

adopted 2 April 1976; subsequently revised note: the revisions placed the military under strict civilian control, trimmed the powers of the president, and laid the groundwork for a stable, pluralistic liberal democracy; they allowed for the privatization of nationalized firms and government-owned communications media

Country name

conventional long form

Portuguese Republic

conventional short form

Portugal

local long form

Republica Portuguesa

local short form

Portugal

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador-designate Allan J. KATZ

consulate(s)

Ponta Delgada (Azores)

embassy

Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon

FAX

[351] (21) 726-9109

mailing address

Apartado 43033, 1601-301 Lisboa; PSC 83, APO AE 09726

telephone

[351] (21) 727-3300

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Joao DE VALLERA

consulate(s)

New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)

consulate(s) general

Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San Francisco

FAX

[1] (202) 462-3726

telephone

[1] (202) 328-8610

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president

chief of state

President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9 March 2006)

election results

Anibal CAVACO SILVA elected president; percent of vote - Anibal CAVACO SILVA 50.6%, Manuel ALEGRE 20.7%, Mario Alberto Nobre Lopes SOARES 14.3%, Jeronimo DE SOUSA 8.5%, Franciso LOUCA 5.3%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa (since 12 March 2005)

Flag description

two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the national coat of arms (armillary sphere and Portuguese shield) centered on the dividing line; explanations for the color meanings are ambiguous, but a popular interpretation has green symbolizing hope and red the blood of those defending the nation

Government type

republic; parliamentary democracy

Independence

1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, CPLP, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club (associate), PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Supremo Tribunal de Justica); judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura

Legal system

based on civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - PS 42%, PSD 35%, CDS/PP 9%, BE 7%, CDU 7%; seats by party - PS 97, PSD 81, CDS/PP 21, BE 16, CDU 15

elections

last held on 27 September 2009 (next to be held in fall 2013)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Henrique LOPES DE MENDOCA/Alfredo KEIL note: adopted 1910; "A Portuguesa" was originally written to protest the Portuguese monarchy's acquiescence to the 1890 British ultimatum forcing Portugal to give up areas of Africa; the lyrics refer to the "insult" that resulted from the event

name

"A Portugesa" (The Song of the Portuguese)

National holiday

Portugal Day (Dia de Portugal), 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died

Political parties and leaders

Democratic and Social Center/Popular Party or CDS/PP [Paulo PORTAS]; Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pedro Manuel PASSOS COELHO]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian Democratic Coalition or CDU [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] (includes Portuguese Communist Party or PCP and Ecologist Party ("The Greens") or PEV)

Political pressure groups and leaders

the media; labor unions

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, dairy products; fish

Central bank discount rate

1.75% (31 December 2009) 3% (31 December 2008) note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate

6.12% (31 December 2009 est.) 8.35% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$19.03 billion (2010 est.) -$23.95 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$497.8 billion (30 June 2010) $507 billion (30 June 2009)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

38.5 (2007) 35.6 (1995)

Economy - overview

Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past two decades, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies. Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of the 1990s, but fell back in 2001-08, shrank 2.6% in 2009, before growing 1% in 2010. GDP per capita stands at roughly two-thirds of the EU-27 average. A poor educational system and a rigid labor market have been obstacles to greater productivity and growth. Portugal also has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct investment. Portugal's competitiveness problems, low growth prospects, and high levels of public debt have made it vulnerable to bond market turbulence. Lisbon is implementing austerity measures to reduce the budget deficit from 9.4% of GDP in 2009 to 4.6% of GDP in 2011, but some investors have expressed concern about Portugal's ability to achieve these targets and cover its sovereign debt. Without the option for stimulus measures, the government is focusing instead on boosting exports and implementing labor market reforms to try to raise GDP growth and tackle Portugal's competitiveness problems, which may help mitigate investor concerns over time.

Electricity - consumption

48.78 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

1.313 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

10.74 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

44.47 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.774 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)

Exports

$46.27 billion (2010 est.) $44.49 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision instruments

Exports - partners

Spain 26.25%, Germany 12.99%, France 12.04%, Angola 7.21%, UK 5.54% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

2.6%

industry

23%

services

74.5% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$23,000 (2010 est.) $22,800 (2009 est.) $23,500 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

1% (2010 est.) -2.6% (2009 est.) 0% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$223.7 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$247 billion (2010 est.) $244.5 billion (2009 est.) $251 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Imports

$68.22 billion (2010 est.) $68.9 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision instruments, computer accessories and parts, semi-conductors and related devices, household goods, passenger cars new and used, and wine products

Imports - partners

Spain 31.58%, Germany 12.41%, France 8.58%, Italy 5.55%, Netherlands 5.31% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

0.9% (2010 est.)

Industries

textiles, clothing, footwear, wood and cork, paper, chemicals, auto-parts manufacturing, base metals, diary products, wine and other foods, porcelain and ceramics, glassware, technology, telecommunications; ship construction and refurbishment; tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.1% (2010 est.) -0.8% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

19% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

5.57 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

10%

industry

30%

services

60% (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$98.65 billion (31 December 2009) $68.71 billion (31 December 2008) $132.3 billion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

4.846 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

4.895 billion cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - production

NA (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

272,200 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

53,660 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - imports

323,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - production

4,721 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

18% (2006)

Public debt

83.2% of GDP (2010 est.) 76.8% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$NA (31 December 2010 est.) $16.03 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$282 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $302.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$63.64 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $63.64 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$105.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $102.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$556.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $490.8 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$98.23 billion (31 December 2010 est) $100.9 billion (31 December 2009 est) note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders

Unemployment rate

10.7% (2010 est.) 9.5% (2009 est.)

Broadcast media

the publicly-owned TV broadcaster operates 2 domestic channels and external service channels to Africa; overall, roughly 40 domestic TV stations; viewers have widespread access to international broadcasters with more than half of all households connected to multi-channel cable or satellite TV systems; publicly-owned radio operates 3 national networks and provides regional and external services; several privately-owned national radio stations and some 300 regional and local commercial radio stations (2008)

Internet country code

.pt

Internet hosts

3.267 million (2010)

Internet users

5.168 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations

general assessment

Portugal's telephone system has a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities

international

country code - 351; a combination of submarine cables provide connectivity to Europe, North and East Africa, South Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the US; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

4.049 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

15.178 million (2009)

Airports

65 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

43 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 10 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

22 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 21 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 8, cargo 33, carrier 1, chemical tanker 17, container 8, liquefied gas 9, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 9

foreign-owned

80 (Belgium 8, Denmark 4, Germany 13, Greece 5, Italy 10, Japan 9, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 1, Spain 15, Sweden 6, Switzerland 3, US 4)

registered in other countries

14 (Cyprus 2, Malta 3, Panama 9) (2010)

total

111

Pipelines

gas 1,098 km; oil 11 km; refined products 188 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines

Railways

broad gauge

2,603 km 1.668-m gauge (1,351 km electrified)

narrow gauge

183 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

total

2,786 km

Roadways

paved

71,294 km (includes 2,613 km of expressways)

total

82,900 km

unpaved

11,606 km (2008)

Waterways

210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,572,007 females age 16-49: 2,474,719 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 2,104,945 females age 16-49: 2,034,912 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

55,737 (2010 est.)

male

62,628

Military branches

Portuguese Army (Exercito Portuguesa), Portuguese Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Portuguese Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP) (2010)

Military expenditures

2.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no compulsory military service; women serve in the armed forces, on naval ships since 1993, but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties; reserve obligation to age 35 (2010)

Disputes - international

Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz

Illicit drugs

seizing record amounts of Latin American cocaine destined for Europe; a European gateway for Southwest Asian heroin; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; consumer of Southwest Asian heroin page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================